TOPIC:

Scott Jones must be happy. Drafted by Freo so he’ll either get a few we’ll-deserved AFL games or a WAFL premiership. Or both.

Country member wrote: Scott Jones must be happy. Drafted by Freo so he’ll either get a few we’ll-deserved AFL games or a WAFL premiership. Or both.

EP Eagles are early flag favorites for mine. If you're lucky Liam Ryan will do a Shane Yarran and help EP to a premiership over his old club Subiaco. Add Oscar Allen and Brayden Ainsworth that's 3 players from other WAFL clubs potentially playing for East Perth each week. Could be an alignment derby grand final. Won't that be a great advertisement for the WAFL competition?

I agree with DD I think the eagles could be the strong alignment side this year, if Natanui stays fit they should have Vardy and / or Lycett as handy ruckman/ forwards. Ryans availability will be telling.

It's very early to predict but IMO Liam Ryan may surprise a few people by filling Josh Hill's spot but with more ammo than Josh. Time will tell.
The Eagles could well have a dynamic duo in Ryan and Rioli, assuming the latter stays fit.

East Perth going to be placed next year and an alignment GF looms.

If Natanui is fit then certainly Vardy and or Lycett will be at the disposal of EP, a pretty potent ruck forward combination at WAFL level. Also means they miss Jones being drafted by Fremantle to play for Peel and be injury back up.
Even if Ryan does not step up as the small forward? What then for EP, potentially means Le Cras dropping back, not sure of room for both, Rioli too? Room for all three in the weagles forward line. Get the bit about Rioli being fit and be interesting to see how his skin fold tests stack up at the start of the season.
Throw Allen and Ainsworth into the EP line up, shrewd move by EP signing up that Wellingham guy just prior to the weagles drafting/rookie drafting a huge load of other WAFL players!
This should be a reason why alignment clubs can't recruit other WAFL clubs delisted/retired players until such time as AFL lists are finalised.
Really looks like EP move up, Peel should only be around where they were, Subi looking at losses (interesting how hard they go now and what announcements they make), South the same and pretty much ditto for the rest.
Onwards and upwards.

If a load of those players don't play for EP then it means others certainly will, the weagles have drafted well out of the WAFL, maybe they might draft the current Sandover Medalist in the rookie draft.
Can see the weagles playing Ryan, Le Cras and Rioli all on the one forward line? Maybe, not sure where it places others at the club but either way its a huge win for EP with Wellingham to boot.
Hope Rioli has shed the weight and has a great career, I just can't see all three in the one forward line and if Rioli has improved his fitness I suspect that sustained gut running at an AFL level isn't quite there for him yet. Lecras has not yet been able to move into the midfield to any extent and Ryan will obviously need at least one pre season under belt.
My point is that either way EP win , barring injury, regardless of who the weagles pick. Oh and Wellingham to top it off.

Ryan may take Josh Hill's spot and Rioli may put pressure on Cripps.
Too early to tell but food for thought.
No doubt there will be changes to the current best 22.

There will, Josh Hill was certainly not in the best 22 towards the end and only played 13 games which was off the back of consecutive years of putting 22 together.

I thought Josh Hill had already been delisted? rumour a few weeks ago was that Subi would chase him with the expectation of losing Ryan.
Regarding the chances of playing Ryan, Lecca and Rioli in the one forward line, maybe they had a good look at what Richmond have done with their forward line and are following that lead. Lecca and Ryan are both over 180cm so not exactly small forwards, both can play tall and we all know what Ryan can do in the air.......... on the ground and anywhere else if given enough space.

Correct SS..Hill has been delisted by WCE. Maybe just waiting to see if he gets rookie listed elsewhere.